#on their hallmark journey back to each other

[a-little-bit-of-tradition]

Goodbye Jay Halstead & Hailey Upton ❤️

[midnightmusings06]

Valentine’s Headcanons- SDV Bachelor Edition Pt. 2

summary: What the sdv bachelors would do for you on Valentine’s Day!

pairing: sdv bachelors x gender neutral farmer 

category: fluff

word count: 865

a/n: these are inspired by some of the heart events + personal headcanons <3 and a continuation of my previous post!

Alex:

Alex knocks on your door early Valentine‘s morning, a small hand picked bouquet of flowers clutched in his hand and a blush tinting his cheeks.

“Happy Valentine’s Day! I know it’s early but I thought maybe I could take you for a walk this morning?” He puts an arm behind his head, looking a little nervous.

The two of you enjoy a peaceful morning beach walk, his hand clutched in yours, as the cool ocean water washes over your feet.

As you walk, you find several beautiful shells, handing them to Alex to put in his pockets as you walk.

“Darling just what do you intend to do with all these shells?”

“They’re for keepsakes of course!” You grin, placing more shells in his pocket.

He rolls his eyes, but you know he’s only teasing you.

When you return back to your house, you decide to make ice cream together, despite it being quite cold outside.

The two of you make a huge mess of cream and sugar, but it’s all worth it when you spoon feed each other your homemade creation.

The weather clears for a bit, so Alex proposes playing football together, which results in the football hitting you in the head due to your lack of hand eye coordination. 

“Y/n! Are you alright? I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to hurt you!” He rushes to your side, and while it only hurts momentarily, he treats you as though you’ve suffered a grave injury.

He wraps you up in his hoodie, now devoid of your shells which now lay on your counter, as you holds you from behind on your couch, threading his fingers through your hair as the two of you eventually fall asleep.

Shane:

You hadn’t expected Shane to do anything special for Valentine’s Day, as he’d expressed discontent with the idea of the holiday before, claiming it was “just another Hallmark holiday”.

You also hadn’t expected Shane to invite you to his place for, in his words, “a special movie night”. 

When you arrive, you find his room clad with comfy blankets and pillows, where you sit next to him on his bed, making yourself cozy.

“Before I show you my surprise, I have a gift for you.” 

He pulls out two matching sets of pajamas, covered in blue chickens.

After you put your pajamas on, he leads you to sit on the bed as he connects his laptop to his mini tv.

A small film montage begins to play, as he nestles up next to you, laying his head in your lap.

Clips from dates and candid photos and shots he took when you weren’t looking, stitched together with your favorite song playing in the background.

You comb your fingers through his hair, tears beginning to brim in your eyes watching this film made of love.

The film ends, and Shane looks up at you, a small smile on his face, “Do you like it? I know it’s kinda cheesy but I thought-Mmph!” 

You cut him off, connecting your lips with his in a tender embrace, moving in tandem.

“I love it darling, it’s perfect.” You smile down at him.

“Thank you, for always staying by my side. I know I don’t deserve you, but thank you. I love you with all my being.” He whispers, a sweet utterance kept between the two of you.

Sam:

Sam made sure to give you an idea of his plans several days before Valentine’s Day, telling you brimming with excitement, 

“It’s gonna be the perfect day! We’re gonna go to Stardrop for an epic gaming sesh, you should wear your comfiest pajamas because why not! Oh and bring blankets, snacks and all the good vibes to my place! I can’t wait!”

You show up at Sam’s house that morning wearing your favorite pajamas, with your favorite candy and blanket in hand, where he greets you in his own pajamas.

You walk to Stardrop Saloon together, and compete in several rounds of Junimo Kart, Journey of the Prairie King, and pool.

“Ugh not again! You win y/n,” Sam sighs, having lost another round of pool against you.

Throwing your hands up in victory, you exclaim, “Victory is mine once again! Have you finally given up yet?” 

He pouts, until you wrap him in a big hug.

After heading back to his house after a few more rounds of arcade games, you walk into his room which is completely decked out in pillows, and a small pillow fort sits in the middle of the room, battery operated lights haphazardly strung about them.

“Tada! What do you think? I worked all night last night to make it, but then I fell asleep and it fell apart, so I had to rebuild it this morning!” He rambles, a small blush growing on his cheeks.

He grabs your hand, leading you into the small fort, where your snacks and blankets await for maximum comfort.

He moved his family’s tv to his room for the occasion, where he had a stack of the best 90s and 80s movies you two loved ready to watch. 

Eventually, the two of you fell asleep watching The Breakfast Club, wrapped in each other’s warm embrace. 

[dontsh0vethesun]

christmas lights and tension

part two of home for christmas

natasha romanoff x reader

The hallmark movie inspired Christmas story that nobody asked for.

Natasha Romanoff fell out of love with Christmas, but perhaps a certain someone could help her find the festive magic once again.

Coming home to her small hometown from her life in New York City, the children’s author is reunited with the people of her past; some are happier to see her than others.

But, will rekindled relationships inspire the Christmas story she’s struggling to write? Or will she go home empty handed?

fluff, friendship, an attempt at humour, cringe of course, tension and bickering, meddling gyals, feelings good and bad, found family

wc: 2.9k | part one | part three

The night prior played on in your head the entire journey to work. You thought about the pathetic way she could still make your heart beat with just a look of her eyes into yours and how, even after all this time, a brief closeness still made the hairs on the back of your neck stand straight. As though, they too, just wanted her nearer. 

It was aggravating, the way you wanted her within your periphery despite the hate you’d accumulated with regards to the redhead in her time away. Since she left with little goodbye. 

The festive ornaments Wanda had decorated the cafe door with dared to annoy you when you let the door shut heavily behind you and each motion you went through was carried out with more force than necessary. You loathe how easily Natasha had gotten beneath your skin. With just one evening leaving you in such a way, you dare to think what else was in store. The mere fact only sets your plan in stone - you have to avoid her as much as possible. She’ll be gone in a week, it’ll be a simple task to execute. 

–

When Sam and Wanda arrived they only had to share a glance, darting their eyes towards where you huffed and puffed at each menial job you carried out. The annoyance bounced off you and they knew better than to drag you into a conversation. 

They let you stew in your Romanoff-stained head, plastering on your best customer service grins before retreating to make their orders with an obvious and venomous taste left on your tongue. 

Pietro, however, was the allegorical spanner in the works. The blonde hurried into the building when he knew you’d reached the afternoon lull, an expectant smile on his face for the gossip he was waiting to hear from your lips. Wanda had warned him, and she did so again with a muttered scolding beneath her breath. She’d told him all about it last night - of course. But he wanted your side of the ongoing feud (that had been significantly lacking ignition for longer than he’d prefer).

Despite what his sister may say, he will not deprive himself of hearing your angry retelling. 

“So,” he began with a playful lilt to his vaguely accented voice. “Anything interesting happen last night?”

He merely laughed at the glare you shot his way, a trait you’d grown to despise after all of these years. 

“I told you not to say anything,” Wanda sighed, slapping his hand away from the cookie he tried to help himself to. “She’s angry,” she finished with a stage whisper and a nowhere-near-subtle gesture to where you stood beside her, 

“I’m not angry,” you muttered with a roll of your eyes that proved just the opposite. 

“So you definitely didn’t almost break my favourite mug, huh?” Sam laughed, still milking the emotional wound of the morning. It wasn’t broken, which you had assured him multiple times, but the near fatality was enough for him to hold against you for the foreseeable. 

“It’s an ugly mug, Sam,” you mumbled, letting a huff of a laugh break through your tough exterior at his overly dramatic gasp. 

“Only an angry person would say such a hurtful thing,” he frowned. 

“I’m not angry. I’m totally over it. One hundred percent, completely, over it.”

You couldn’t even convince yourself, let alone the lifelong friends who stared back at you incredulously. You could just about kick yourself with the effect she somehow has on you. You could practically suffocate in it. 

“Right,” Pietro nodded, seemingly agreeing with the others to feign the slightest belief in your statement. “So last night was good?”

“It was great,” you nodded, possibly giving yourself whiplash with the intensity. “Right, Wanda?”

“Yes. Definitely,” she agreed. “Very, um, tension-free and comfortable.”

“Yeah. It’s not as though somebody I haven’t spoken to for years was just staring at me all night,” you grumbled. 

“Someone you’re totally over.”

“Exactly. Someone who has no hold on me at all. In fact, I actually forgot about the time she blocked my number, moved away and just never talked to me again.” 

“So the annual Christmas Eve party at the Romanoff’s is still good to go?” Sam chimed in. 

“Oh - I actually have plans that day,” you stumbled out - completely blanking on the tradition you’ve all kept up since high school.

It was an unconventional family you’d all found yourselves a home within; what began as a friendship group sitting together at lunch turned into gatherings during the holidays. Melina and Alexei had become parental figures for a few of you; large gatherings were held for all holidays celebrated within the social circle you’d accumulated, and the time you’d all spend together only grew you ever closer. 

When you were younger, the ‘adults’ would be forced into the kitchen whilst you had your own teenage gatherings in the living room. Yelena would sneak a bottle of vodka from her parent’s cupboard, Kate would supply pizza, and Kamala would always amuse you with the comic stories she’d write herself into. Maria had often fondly commented on her wish for you to just ‘go to a party and get the cops called on you for underage drinking’, but you were all happy with Monica bringing her telescope - her prized possession - to show you the stars. You’d all rather critique Sam’s baking endeavours and tease Carol about her weekly changing crushes on various cheerleaders. Watching Kate clumsily lose her balance in an attempt at a race against Pietro was your preferred way to spend a Friday night. 

You and Wanda would giggle at your friends, at the way Kamala would have to be practically carried home by her parents. She’d feign tipsiness and you’d all pretend you didn’t know it was just from all the Pepsi she’d drink. And then you’d gossip. Your favourite pastime for all these years, it was the pair of you against the world. She’d try to convince you of the obvious crush Natasha harboured for you, analysing each and every time she’d looked your way to see if you’d laughed at one of her jokes. Telling you of the eyes that constantly tried to find yours across a room as though she noted down each interaction - knowing her, she probably did. 

She’d told you for years that your feelings were mutual and just as you let yourself believe her, the girl that held your heart in the palm of her hand just took it with her to college. And then to New York. And now that she was here, you swear you could see it peeking out of her jean pocket. 

“Melina’s apple pie is literally your favourite,” Wanda spoke with a poke of her elbow into your side, knowing your stubbornness could easily subside if she had anything to do about it. 

“Just bring me a slice,” you grumbled. 

“No. You’re coming,” she returned with a shake of her head that never failed to put you in your place. “Besides, you’re over the Romanoff phenomena, right?”

“Right.”

And just as though the universe is desperate to see you in a fugue of embarrassment the bell above the coffee shop door sounded, and the hinges you always mean to tend to creaked, as the subject of your aching resentment sauntered in. You caught a brief glance of the soft smile that pulled at her lips as she looked around before you ducked out of view, hitting Wanda’s leg when she looked down at you with a laugh. 

“You’ve got a nice place here,” she spoke. You hate how much you still adore the rasp of her voice. 

“Yeah,” Wanda answered, you saw her nod from where you sat. And hid; your cowardice seemingly ever present only when it comes to her.  “We opened it a couple years ago.”

“She always said you’d open a shop here. I knew she’d do it.” You could hear the smile in her words and though Wanda is always on your team she couldn’t miss the fondness in Natasha’s eyes. The same glint from before; she made a mental note to tell you later. She does love romance after all, even if one half of the beloved couple is on her naughty list. She couldn’t completely let go of her matchmaking fantasies, even if she had to work with a friends-to enemies-to lovers debacle. 

You rest your chin on your tucked-up knees as you remember the day she’d walked with you through town, sharing a cup of ice cream whilst you spoke about your dreams for the future. You’d pointed at an empty space with a ‘for rent’ sign plastered to the window and claimed it would be yours, that you’d let Wanda decorate and give Natasha free coffees. She’d laughed and told you she’d write her books in the back corner and name a character after you. 

Neither of you mentioned the key elements of your desired futures. The presence of one another, sharing kisses and tender embraces. 

“My mom sent me,” you heard her say. “Something about cookies to have while we decorate? Apparently you come over to help?”

“You’d know that if you ever came back, Nat.” Wanda hadn’t meant to sound so harsh, she almost felt bad at the way the redhead nervously cleared her throat at the unspoken accusation but she couldn’t just forget the way she’d treated you. It was impossible to forget the way you only let her see you cry. 

“Yeah, I know,” she breathed. “It’s busy in New York, y’know? Deadlines and meetings,” she added, trailing off when she realised her excuses weren’t even good enough for herself. “I was hoping I’d bump into her actually, is she not here?”

“No, sorry,” Wanda lied seamlessly. “She had to go and chase up a delivery.”

“I guess I’ll see her tonight?”

“I’ll see if she can make it.”

–

She didn’t ‘see if you could make it’ at all. Each protest you made was debunked by persuasive words and puppy dog eyes she knew you couldn’t resist. You let any attempt she made of Natasha being a ‘changed woman’ glide right off of you, Wanda Maximoff’s belief in true love be damned. 

So, you were forced into attending the annual get-together where Melina sugarcoated her forced labour with promises of eggnog. She only enlists you to help because she knows Alexei and Yelena are less use than a chocolate teapot when it comes to festive decorations. 

You muttered beneath your breath as you dawdled your way to the front door, arms full with the box of cookies as requested (Sam’s own recipe), hoping to savour as much time as possible before you were thrust into close proximity with the woman you’d made it your mission to avoid. Wanda was orchestrating this on purpose, you’re sure. 

Before you’d even had time to fish the key out of your jacket’s pocket, the face you hoped not to see was smiling at you with the door opened wide enough to let you in. You didn’t let yourself pay attention to the familiar scent of the perfume she still seems to wear. 

“Hi, you made it,” Natasha smiled, taking the box from your hands, feeling the same pull as you when her fingers brushed against yours. 

“Yeah, I couldn’t let Yelena go without her cookies, could I?” you smirked, laughing when the aforementioned woman hurried over to take them from her sister. 

“Kate Bishop, I have acquired the goods,” she shouted through a mouthful of crumbs that you knew must’ve left a trail behind her on the carpet. 

“Wanda wasn’t sure you’d come.”

“Melina promised eggnog, of course I’m here,” you smiled, directing it towards the woman who approached you with a glass and a grin. She couldn’t help the twinge of hurt that washed through her at your obvious coolness towards her, how you hardly looked at her, though she couldn’t blame you for it. 

You were soon roped into hanging stockings along the fireplace with yours and the Maximoff’s still given a place. In hindsight, you wish less of your energy was focused on being on the opposite side of the room to Natasha and more on the sly whisperings between the women in the corner. 

It wouldn’t have been as much of a surprise when the two of you were given the task of fixing stringed lights on the porch. You could’ve wrestled Wanda to the ground at the way she laughed behind her hand at each subtle way you attempted to push the job into somebody else's lap. But their minds were made up and four pairs of eyes glinted with mischievous amusement when you begrudgingly made your way out into the cold Ohio evening. 

The yellowed light that filtered onto you both from within the house made her skin glow, her milky complexion just like cream. The kind that’d entice the swipe of your tongue across your bottom lip, wanting just a taste, but wanting to steer clear of its addictive elixir even more. You didn’t let her catch sight of your eyes tracing the side of her face whilst she attempted to unbind the tangled mess of lights bundled in her hold; mapping the contours of her jaw and the sharp turn it took as it dipped down to her exposed neck. You still knew each sporadic freckle and you chased a glimpse of each one before you darted your eyes elsewhere. 

It was confusing. How all those antipathetic emotions she stirred up within you, adding to the mixture with each passing year of being out of your life, were somehow joined by those old feelings flooding back. It all washed over you in a blearily muddled wave, filling each space it could find, bubbling and boiling, spitting out in ways that made you flinch. 

How could one woman cause you such upheaval? 

“Here,” she muttered, holding out the stringed lights that seemed to be in even worse condition than they had started with a scrunched up face of surrender. “I give up.”

You took them from her wordlessly, still hoping you could get this over with as quickly as possible. 

“Things like this take time, Natasha,” you spoke. Your voice was quiet and directed downwards with your chin against your chest as you picked apart the mess she’d handed you. “You can’t just expect it to unravel all perfectly just because you want it to.”

“Why do I feel like that has a double meaning?”

You only shrugged in response, weaving the wires with care so not to damage them further, getting there slowly but surely. 

“And here I was, hoping you’d talk to me tonight,” she murmured, scuffing her foot against the worn down wooden decking beneath her boot clad feet. 

“I don’t have much to say.”

“Alright.”

“Things don’t always happen the way you want them to, that’s all,” you breathed. “You can’t just come here and have it all fall in your lap all perfectly neat. Life doesn’t work like that.”

“Right, so this definitely isn’t about the lights,” she laughed. It was humourless and the second you dared to spare in her direction showed you the grimace that washed over her lips for just a moment before it faded again. 

“I don’t find any of this funny, Natasha. It’s a lot,” you sighed. “You being here after all of this time - after all that time I was just forgotten by you. You must be really dense if you’d expect me to just welcome you back with open arms.”

“I didn’t forget you,” she returned, brows furrowing at the way you truly believed that. “I could never just forget you.” 

“Then why’d you leave me behind?”

Any words that lay across the length of her tongue wouldn’t garner the courage to venture past her lips. Her mouth opened and closed. Opened and closed again. Words were never easy when it came to you. 

“I’m done,” you stated, doing all you could to push down the sting at her lack of reassurance. You felt foolish that, just for a moment,you’d thought that something heartfelt and profound would ease the ache. Sweet words spoken in her velvet-soft voice, saccharine enough to fix it all. You held out the neat and tangle-free length of string lights for clarification and she cleared her throat as she pulled her hands out of the front pockets of her jeans to take them from you. “Let’s just get this over with.”

The woman didn’t shy away from letting her sights linger on your body when she held the ladder still for you to climb. Still, she kept her hands away as much as she wanted to feel the solidity of you beneath them, only instructing you with words. 

“Move them a little to the left, maybe?”

“I know how to hang lights, Natasha,” you grumbled, straining the muscles of your arms to reach above you. 

“I’m sure you do but they’re uneven,” she bit back. 

“Whatever you say.” You rolled your eyes out of her sight whilst she snuck a peek at the exposed skin of your back where your shirt lifted. 

“Alright, now just hook them over the corner and we’re done,” she added, smirking at the dramatised groan you answered her with despite the tension in her jaw at the thick atmosphere between you. 

“If I’d known you’d back seat decorate, I would’ve got you to do it all,” you scoffed when you could finally make your way down from the stepladder. 

Neither of you acknowledged the hand she lay on your back, fingertips ghosting your cool skin with warmth that bit past the winter cold. Neither of you said anything about the way it stayed there. And you definitely didn’t admit to yourself that it left you willing its return when it drew away. 

Wanda was going to have a field day with this.

[nahoney22]

Hello my love 💚

I am back once again to send in another request for your 4000 followers celebration!

Congrats again 🥰

This time, I'm choosing my sweet little baby boy Tup 🥺 (x fem!reader)

This one is gonna be super fluffy. The fluffiest fluff to have ever fluffed. So much fluff that it makes you want to vomit out of pure sugary sweetness 💙

We're going with a Hallmark Christmas vibe. Deck the halls, baby! I'm talking about Christmas trees, glass ornaments, and colorful lights, kissing under the mistletoe, snow-covered streets, crackling fireplaces, hot cocoa, warm sweaters, sleigh rides, and lots of holiday cheer. No scrooges in this winter wonderland!

Here are a couple of prompts I found that went with the vibe: "Your hands are cold, let me warm them up," "I'll walk you home," "Take my coat, it's cold outside," and "Can I have this dance?"

As always, feel free to ignore my request! If it suits your fancy, then I can't wait to see what you come up with 🥰 (take your time, of course)

Please and thank you, with love 💚

@the-bad-batch-baroness

4000 Follower Prompt List Celebration

Tup X F!Reader

SFW

prompts:

“I’ll walk you home.”

“Your hands are cold, let me warm them up.”

warnings: None, lots of fluff. Kisses. Love at first sight, meet cute. Female reader.

authors note: grrrr I wish I saw this in December when it was Christmassy BUT instead of waiting for 12 months let’s do it now 😆 idk what hallmark Christmas is thought ngl tho - thanks for the request @the-bad-batch-baroness ☀️

In the midst of Coruscant's bustling streets, a wintry ambiance enveloped the evening, with the air dense and chilly. Despite the approach of nightfall, the atmosphere remained aglow with the infectious spirit of the recent festive season.

And among the gleaming lights and shimmering tinsel adorning the street lamps, you navigated through the dusting of snow at your boots, determined yet cautious to evade any slips. Embracing yourself against the cold, you embarked on your homeward journey.

Grateful after being granted an early departure by your employer, you however found yourself thwarted by the weather-induced delay of your usual means of transport. So, opting to keep going on foot, you soon find yourself groaning as you fumble through your bag in search of your scarf and gloves. However, you quick to realise you had abandoned your gear at your workplace—a trek you were not planning to go back on.

Focused on avoiding a slip, your gaze remained fixed on the ground as you navigated through the snow and street. However, your brisk pace came to an abrupt halt when you collided with an unexpected figure, sending you to the ground.

“Kriff, sorry ma’am. Are you alright?” The voice sounded familiar, belonging to a Clone Trooper who had then extended a hand down to you.

As your eyes followed up past his hand and up his arm, the discomfort of the fall seemed to have dissipated as you grew captivated by the gaze of a remarkably handsome man.

Concerned, he inquired about your well-being, “Ma’am? Are you alright?” To which prompted a flush of embarrassment as you found yourself on the ground, staring up at him gormlessly.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” You assure him of your condition and swiftly accepted his offered hand. But as he hauls you up with ease, you think you’re grounded only to then encounter a second stumble.

Grasping onto the Clone for support, his protective arms encircled you, preventing another nasty fall as your feet slip from under you. "Easy there, I've got you," he chuckled warmly, his gaze softening as your eyes met.

You hadn't been one to believe in love at first sight, yet an undeniable connection sparked within you towards this man. Perhaps it was the enchanting ambiance of the twinkling lights and falling snow, or maybe it was the combination of his helpfulness after you both bumped into each other accidentally.

"Th-thanks," you stammered, a blend of the wintry air and nervousness affecting your speech. His gentle smile and reassuring gaze, however, calmed your racing thoughts.

Concerned for your well-being, he asked softly, releasing his hold on you but remaining ready to assist if needed. "Didn't hurt yourself, did you?"

"No," you replied, shaking your head, "as long as my head is still firmly attached, I'm good."

His chuckle resonated warmly and you don’t know why, but you felt like you could read this man. To which, you had hoped he wanted to get to know you more. And he did.

"The name's Tup," he introduced, extending his hand once more. You gladly slipped your hand back into his, reciprocating with your name. "It's nice to meet you."

"And you, though it would've been better under different circumstances," he remarked subtly, gesturing toward your snow-dusted attire, prompting a sheepish smile from you.

Before you could respond, he swiftly and apologetically interrupted, asking, "Don't suppose you would like to go for a drink with me?" Your eyes widened in surprise, mirroring his apparent astonishment at his own impromptu invitation.

"Sorry, that was forward. We've only just met," he acknowledged.

"Yeah," you replied simply, accompanied by a toothy grin.

"Yeah?" His face lifted, his eyes lighting up in response.

"I could really do with a warm drink.”

As you both hurriedly sought refuge from the cold, the tempting aroma of rich hot chocolate filled the air. Smiling at the satisfying hum that escaped your throat, Tup guided you to a pop-up market stall, where he procured steaming mugs of the comforting beverage before finding a place to sit.

"I have to admit," you began, gently blowing the steam off your mug, "I certainly didn't expect something like this to happen anytime soon. It's basically a cliche."

He looked at you with confusion, cradling his mug in his hands. "I don't quite catch on?"

You chuckled softly. "Well, in most cheesy romantic holomovies I've seen, this is basically a 'meet cute.' We collided, you, fortunately, happen to be handsome and offer a helping hand, and instead of parting ways, you asked me for a drink." Your eyes sparkled mischievously. "Or I could be totally wrong."

"N-No, no," he replied quickly, a hint of warmth coloring his neck. "I suppose when you put it like that, it is a cliche. But... I'll take it you like that kind of thing?" He gestured to the two of you enjoying a drink, sitting up a little straight to exude confidence.

"I really do," you replied softly, savoring a sip of your drink. "Mmm, this is lovely. Thank you, Tup."

The way you said his name made Tup feel as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "You're welcome."

Engaged in a quiet yet pleasant conversation, you both delved into each other's lives and aspirations. Classic questions about favourite colours, the stories behind tattoos, and alternate career paths flowed naturally.

From your time with Tup, you gathered that he was kind and had a penchant for playful yet rather terrible flirting. You observed him attempting to find a relaxed posture—arms shifting on and off the table, legs crossing and uncrossing, fingers nervously tapping against the mug. Even his compliments emerged more as questions than statements. Regardless, you found joy in his company.

Feeling Tup's nervous energy, you decided to discreetly guide him into a more comfortable interaction. Despite the cold, you feigned a fake shiver, cupping your hands over your mouth and blowing on your fingers. "Is it me, or did it get colder?" you remarked inconspicuously. Tup wasted no time reaching across the table, gently taking your hands in his.

"Your hands are cold," he observed with a frown, expressing a wish for spare gloves, "let me warm them up." His charming smile resonated, making your heart skip a beat. He closed his hand over yours, gently rubbing them to provide warmth. You felt bashful that your subtle hint worked, relieved that he didn't seem to mind holding your hands.

Engaged in a wholesome conversation, both of you seemingly oblivious to the unspoken connection formed through the idle caress of each other's hands, the impending departure lingered as the unspoken Bantha in the room.

Hours passed without notice, Tup surpassing his designated time to be back at the barracks. When you mentioned it was time for you to head back due to an early start, he stood up, taking your hand in his. "I'll walk you home," he declared, a genuine warmth in his eyes that mirrored the connection you both shared throughout the evening.

As Tup walked you home through the now quiet and serene streets of Coruscant, a comfortable silence settled between you. The city's festive lights cast a gentle glow, creating a magical atmosphere that mirrored the odd but welcome enchantment you felt in each other's company.

As you reached your destination, the realisation that the night was coming to an end tugged at both of you. Tup hesitated before speaking, "I had a wonderful time tonight."

You smiled, expressing your agreement. "Me too. It was unexpected but definitely a highlight."

He chuckled softly. "Fate has a way of bringing people together in the most surprising moments."

Standing at your doorstep, you found yourself reluctant to say goodbye. Tup, sensing the unspoken sentiment, reached for your hand once more. "I hope we can do this again."

You nodded, feeling a spark of warmth between you. "I'd like that."

Tup leaned in, his lips brushing against your cheek in a tender goodbye. As you entered your home, you couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for what the future might hold, grateful for the unexpected magic of that cold, festive night on Coruscant.

Masterlist

Prompt Masterlist

Tags: @andyoufollowyourheart @littlefeatherr @kaitou2417 @eyecandyeoz @captxin-rex @jesseeka @ashotofspotchka @theroguesully @ladykatakuri @jambolska-grozdova a @arctrooper69 @padawancat97 @staycalmandhugaclone @ko-neko-san @echos-girlfriend @fiveshelmet @dangraccoon @plushymiku-blog @chrissywakingup @pb-jellybeans @nunanuggets @sleepycreativewriter @erellenora @zippingstars87 @ezras-left-thumb @tech-aficionado @grizabellasolo @therealnekomari @tech-depression-inventory @brynhildrmimi @greaser-wolf @tinyreadersmur @seriowan @kaminocasey @marvel-starwars-nerd @ladytano420 @ladyzirkonia @raevulsix @mssbridgerton @cw80831 @whore4rex @imperialclaw801 @temple-elder @mysticalgalaxysalad @id-rather-be-a-druid @the-bad-batch-baroness

[onmyyan]

🗡️Psycho🗡️ Anon, here again!

Here’s some Ashley Hunt brain rot cause I adore this man too. Not sure if you’d like it though, so lemme know…

So I was thinking about all those cliche hallmark movies and similar ones where a big city girl is forced to go to the country for some shit. Like a family reunion or she sent there to “connect to her roots” or some bullshit reason. And the entire movie is just city girl having some weird spiritual journey falling in love with the country and some farm boy beau, literally abandoning her entire established life to go pick flowers and get fucked by cowboy dick. It’s like some conservative feverdream propaganda to be honest. City=bad country=good. So what if that’s what us readers were in a AU? A hardcore city girl who wanted to get the fuck out of hick town after helping grandma. And so here the brain rot I had with how Ash is gonna pound us and make us his lil stepford wife…

We are hella terse upon arrival to our gran’s house. Meetin Ash we still polite but we ain’t here to make friends n shit. Ash bein the fine gentlemen he is, still offers to help fix stuff. We ain’t stupid, cause anything to help gran settle faster means we get to leave the hicks faster. We agree and offer to reimburse financially Ash for the extra work he’s doin. Ash ain’t stupid either and wants our time instead of money. Wants to take us out to see the town and country to show us that it ain’t as bad as we think. We reluctantly agree, cause the Wi-Fi is shit in the house and we might die from boredom otherwise…

Ash purposely fixes the house slowly each day and afterwards takes us on different outings. Sometimes it’s to the town to show us places and to introduce us to everyone. Other times it’ll be around his farm, around beautiful nature landscapes, etc. Man is an intelligent and fuckin fine ass manipulative suave, cause he’ll purposefully take us around dusk when the sun be settin when the sun be in the low with that horrible glare in your eyes…if you don’t got a hat on…And that what he do. He knows we got no hat, so every fuckin time he puts his cowboy hat on top of our head to “protect our eyes n face” and we don’t know the fucking cowboy hat rule! So here he is flauntin us aroun town on his horse with us wearin his cowboy hat sittin in front of him as he guides the horse from behind us. Smilin n shit to all the locals who obviously know something we don’t…

Durin these outings we gradually be openin up to Ash. Not because we want to. But cause we gotta as he’s the only person to talk to aside from gran. Lack of socialization be real torture…We still dead set on goin back to the city. Cause we ain’t some cliche movie protagonist. We gotta life we love back home. It ain’t shit to contrary belief. We tell him we appreciate everything he’s done for us and we’ll leave in a week since gran should be alright by then. Now this is when Ash is starting to go full yandere at this point…

As we helping Ash one day fix one of the last issues in the house, so conveniently we get injured on the head and have to be taken to the local doc for some stitches. Like the entire town, the doc loves Ash and Ash easily lies and convinces the doc to remove our IUD too while we’re knocked out from the anesthesia. We had told Ash during one of our conversations that we didn’t need to go to the pharmacy for birth control pills as we had an IUD instead. So Ash being the lovable bastard he is, told the doc that we were wanting to try for a baby asap and that I had a horrible time gettin the IUD originally inserted. So it was better for me if I was unconscious for the procedure. And so now we have no IUD but alas think we still have birth control when we left absolutely defenseless…

We get the stitches too, wake up, and Ash takes us back home and takes care of us with the small help of gran. We gotta stay a bit longer now from the urge of our gran and Ash unfortunately so we do just that. Ash is very stellar at takin care of us even though our injury is still minor and we don’t have broken legs or anything so we can navigate and take care of ourselves just fine. But Ash insists sense he blames himself for our injury. He makes sure to feed us and hydrate us and give us our medication the doc prescribed to make sure we’re fine. A while passes a bit more and we are just itchin to get the fuck out of town. We tell Ash we’re finally going to leave tomorrow. And that’s that…

Ash wants to give us a proper farewell so invites us over that night to his house for a few drinks. We see no reason to decline and blissfully go over. We get drunk easily cause we’re a light weight and in the midst of our intoxication confess to him that we find him “damn hot” and we’d have loved to pursue a relationship with him if he was livin in the city and not out in hickville. He coaxes out of us our true feelings about him and we shyly admit that we think we’d fallen for him over the time we’ve gotten to know him. And this sends this motherfucka over the final edge. He was already gonna make us his from when he first saw us, but the confession solidified our mutual attraction and “love” for each other…

Ash then proceeds to take our face gently into his hands and gently kisses our lips in response. We lean into it, letting our drunk poor decision making skills taking over. We leaving tomorrow, so why not let this happen? What’s the worst that can happen? Let’s just ride the cowboy for fucks sake. We got nothing to lose…

Ash is romantic and hella skillful. He can work our body easily and gets more passionate as we totally let loose. He picks us up and latches our legs around his waist while still kissing, all while walking easily to his bedroom to do the deed. Artfully he unwraps us and himself and he makes the best fuckin love to us we’ve ever had. Nobody ever has come close to what this fine ass motherfucka has performed on us. Our pleasure was constantly put first, the aftercare was a godsend, and we were almost having second thoughts leaving the town so soon. Almost…

We wake up hungover and sore in the best ways possible with cum still pouring out of our pussy despite it being late into the new days’s afternoon. Some tablets and water is by the bed for us to drink, which we happily do. A note from Ash is there saying he’ll be back later since he’s out working on the farm and that we should take it easy. We spend the rest of the day till he comes back bein a blushin mess rememberin last nights events. The confession, the fuckin, holy shit the fuckin…

Ash comes home and it’s a bit awkward at first. But eventually we’re both able to be mature adults and talk about the past nights events. Ash also confesses he’s been in love since he first saw us, and that he’s happy that we like him and did what we did last night. We panicking inside though cause while we still have pretty much fallen for him, we still don’t think he’s worth trying to have a relationship with being so far from the city and all. What’s a girl to do? So we try to let him down easy and explain that we just don’t think the relationship could work in the end with our different life styles and all. We still really like him, but it wouldn’t be fair to pursue something that’d probably end in heartbreak…

He understands and tells us he figured he couldn’t hold a city girl like us down. It’s so late now that he wants us to spend the night again since it’s a bit away from our home with gran. He says we can still sleep in his bed as there are other rooms in his available, cause he got a large large residence since he got a gigantic farm. He gets us fixed up with dinner and all our needs and tells us he’ll take us back to gran in the morn…

Mornin comes and we go back to gran’s. Unfortunately…she’s not doing well and the doc is immediately called over. She passes away the next mornin. We are heartbroken n a sobbin mess. We knew she was in bad condition hence why we came out to the countryside to take care of her for a bit, but we didn’t think she was that bad and would be gone so soon. Luckily…we got our loving cowboy by our side to console us. And once again our trip is prolonged even further. It takes about 2 weeks to hold the funeral for gran, with some friends and acquaintances of hers comin out of town. Then another 2 weeks to finish cleaning out the house to put it up for sale as we don’t have the money to keep it even though we inherited it. And wouldn’t you know…the stress and constant work finally caught up to us and made us ill for a solid week. Ash once again took care of us and told us just to relax. Relax and stay for as long as we need to as we were staying with Ash for the time bein…

The house finally sells when we finally get better and we take the next week to tie up any loose ends. Including those with Ash…And as we prepare to find him…we have the urge to throw up? Thinkin we’re just sick as we empty our stomach into the toilet from all the horrible stressful events that’s been happenin. But we never throw up even when we sick…so why now? And so a terrible thought quickly flashes in our head. Pregnancy? No. It’s not uncommon to miss periods especially when a person is super stressed or has gone through trauma. And besides we got a birth control that has a 99% pregnancy free rate. But for some illogical reason, we still feel so shitty and decide to go to the local pharmacy to pick up a pregnancy test…

In the bathroom at the pharmacy, we take the test and sure enough it’s positive. We pregnant. And we are shaking in confusion and fear. This wasn’t suppose to happen. How did this happen? We sobbin drivin home Ash’s place panicking about tellin him. He’s already there at the door consoling us when he sees us in tears. And through incoherent cries and sentence structures we muffle out the news to him. He’s “shocked” and tells us that he’s not upset or anything and is actually happy to hear he’s going to be a father. We still a mess tryin to process everythin and just let Ash hold us in a large sofa and whisper sweet nothings into our ear…

It’s very late at night now after we’ve woken up from our trauma induced nap layin in Ash’s bed in more comfortable clothes he easily changed us into. Now that we done cryin for the most part, logic finally takes over and we know we ain’t ready to be a mama. Especially giving birth to a baby to a man we practically just met a lil over 2 months ago. We dead set on gettin an abortion n leavin this hick town for good n never coming back. Town given us way too much PTSD understandably…

Ash comes back home and we do our best to front a brave face n explain our decision to him. We ain’t keepin the baby. We’re never coming back. We sorry to break his heart like this but we thankful for everything he’s done for us. He’s visibly upset but understands our decision. The rest of the night passes with an uncomfortable atmosphere and we don’t get a lick of sleep…

Dawn comes and we get an early call that we’re being evicted from our apartment!? The price has gone up exponentially the past month and we failed to make the payment and certainly don’t have any rainy day funds to cover it. We’re just learning about this now, no new notification about the price change a month ago, so what the fuck is going on!? The only “good” highlight is that our stuff is still there to be collected and hasn’t been trashed n dumped. What makes the morn even worse is just a while later we get another call that we’ve been fired from our job cause we’ve been deemed inadequate for the job since we’ve taken too much PTO even though we saved up so much annual leave and our family member fuckin died! Corporate havin empathy, challenge impossible!

So now we a sight to behold. A fugly hysterical sobbin mess. We homeless, jobless, and prego. The holy damned trinity of what every woman strives to be at the same time. Ash obviously comes into the room as he can’t ignore our sobbin party now as it’s so fuckin loud it rattles the entire house. We sound like a banshee puttin on the opera show of the century. Takes a long time to finally have the brain cells to reiterate the events to Ash. And lucky us he the finest beau in the land and does nothing but console us. Is our giant fuckin teddy bear, tissue, life coach, etc. He obviously tells us that his home is our home for as long as we need it. And we finally just take him up on that…

Next few days just go by mindlessly for us. We don’t know what to do. We don’t know what we can do. We’re such a wreck mentally we don’t know where to begin on reconstruction. Ash takes care of us though. Like he always has. He even offers to pick up our stuff from the city and at this point we just let ‘em. Too tired to be bothered with all the bullshit life has thrown at us we just wanna be a cow and graze all day with no worries. And Ash…beautiful Ash easily convinced us to take time off before job huntin again. He doesn’t mind bein the sole provider for us. He got plenty of money and resources for us. I don’t have to worry my pretty little head. And I don’t ever have to think of repayin him back…

Some more time passes and now that we’re out of pity party comatose I can focus on gettin back on my feet. Startin with dealin with the unwanted pregnancy. So Ash takes us to town to see the doc, cowboy hat still always on our head and all. And this is when the doc does the usual rural town schtick on us. Doc shows us that the embryo has become a fetus on the ultrasound, talks to us about the beauty of life, birth, motherhood, sends us home with photos of our fetus and an immense sense of terror in our minds…

We’re well aware of pro-life propaganda cause we’ve seen it in the streets protests back in the city. But now that we’re the ones dealin with it first hand it’s a completely different feelin. What makes it worse is that we’ve undeniably fallen for the “baby’s” father, Ash. He’s been nothing but loving to us thick and thin. Expecting nothing in return. Supportin us in all our decisions. We never found a man who came even close to Ash in performance in bed, and most certainly never found a man who was as great a friend or partner either. So would it really be all that bad to have his child? We know that he’d make a great father. He’s been great to us and we aren’t even officially his girlfriend…

Goin around town to eat something after the doc visit was an experience…Locals asking Ash when the wedding will be as life in the hicks tends to move fast. Unsurprisingly we’re seen as a couple as we’ve been living with each other, always out with each other, and doin other local courtship laws I don’t know about (like the fucking cowboy hat from day 1). And durin that ride home we make some tough decisions in the head…

When we get home and settled for the night, we tell Ash if he serious about bein happy about wantin the baby from when he first found out. There not a hint of dishonesty on his face when he pours out all his emotions on us. He wants us. All of us and what bears fruition to our love. Been wantin us since he first saw us and that’s never changed. We happy cryin and show him the photos of the fetus and tell him we’re keepin the baby then since he also wants us. Ash knows our courtship was extremely short but makes sure to let us know we’ll never regret it and he’ll make us the happiest wife in the whole world. And so he proposes right there…

And we spend all night fuckin. Chasin ecstasy highs. Ridin each other like there’s no tomorrow. We’re basically rabid feral animals at this point. And we made the sims romance marriage speedrun world record look like a fuckin joke. Going from friends to significant others to engagees in a minute…

Next day we just giggling to the local courthouse to file for the legal marriage work. We can have a fancy formal weddin later, but for now with a baby comin along and life showin how fast it changes we think it best to just ensure we’re taken care of in the eyes of the law. We’ve let our friends know of the situation after basically bein MIA for the past month. Givin them all crazy twighlight zone whiplash and glazed and confused congratulations to my new life. And with Ash’s silver tongue, he’s once again convinced us to not find a job for the time bein. Focus on ourselves. Our health. The baby. He’s got everything else covered. He can provide for us just as he always can and will…

And so the rest of the months fly by. We becomin the most domestic partner ever since we don’t have any other job. And we found out we not having 1 baby but 2. Twins! So we’re not taking a formal out of house job and bein a stay at home mom n wife instead since we’ll have a lot on our plate now. Ash is even more thrilled with this. And can’t wait for the rest of our lives to be filled with marital bliss. And many more kids as he plans to give us at least another 5…

Ash will also take to his grave what he did to keep us here. The IUD removal and head injury weren’t the only things he did. He also got the doc to give him ovulation fertility drugs. So all those times we were thinking we were takin pain killers or meds to make sure the stitch wounds wouldn’t get infected were really something to help boost Ash’s chance to “nail” us down. And boy did they work…And for poor gran? The apartment eviction? The firing from the job? Anything else? Did Ash really do anything else to manipulate things to his favor? Is he just that intelligent? He is loved by everyone, has great connections and charisma. Or is he just god’s favorite and the universe loves him unconditionally? I’ll let you decide the extent of his “yan” side…

Either way. That’s our HEA for us and Ash if we were to be a city girl who was hesitant to be with Ash in a AU. Thanks for readin. And feel free to use this and the previous smutty Delmont brother ideas I submitted in your works if you want. I don’t mind

Love 🗡️Psycho🗡️ Anon

DHEJDHDJDJDHDH HELLO??? PERFECTION??? ASH IS PROBABLY MY SCARIEST OC AND YOU NAILED THE CHARACTERZATION BABES DJDNDNDJ MY LORD??? HELLO??? HES SO SCARY AND HOT FUCK THE WAY THIS SHOT ME WITH A BOLT OF INSPIRATION OMDNDMD I NEED TO WRITE ABOUT THIS SPOOKY MF NEOW

[open-hearth-rpg]

Journeys: Great RPG Mechanics #RPGMechanics: Week Five

In Playing at the World Jon Peterson mentions the impact of the board game Outdoor Survival (1972). It influenced early D&D– framing the act of crossing wild distances as an adventure unto itself, with perils beyond monsters. This theme appeared in several early board games– traveling out into a blank map, filling it in, and dealing with random events (Source of the Nile, Magic Realm, The Mystic Wood). The third booklet of original Dungeons & Dragons, “The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures,” specifically references Outdoor Survival and using it in play. 

So, while dungeons have always captured the imagination, travelling through great spans has always been a close-run second. The popularity of hex-crawls and point-crawls, moving through unknown space, illustrates something basic. There’s no functional difference between different spaces and locations within a game. A dungeon, in terms of motion through it, mechanically operates like a forest or a city. The party moves through a space and arrives at an event. There’s some description possibly of the passage, but functionally it is the same. 

The difference lies in the trappings and mechanics: time, obstacles, physicality, travel resources, etc. There are some meta-considerations as well. I remember running a city-based campaign which had a set of maps I’d drawn of different neighborhoods and areas. I had a player complain that he wanted a traveling campaign, to see different things. I explained that the city was varied and interesting– going to other places and neighborhoods could be just as cool. We went back and forth as I tried to drill down on what he wanted. 

It eventually came out that he wanted a game where his character could loot, destroy, and shit on folks and then move on. Having a game in a city meant he’d have to deal with people and potentially suffer consequences. 

In any case, if time and distance function mechanically the same across different sizes and instances (dungeon, wilderness, city), how does a game differentiate? The most common tool has been random encounters– with chances varying based on the terrain. Different environments have different appearance rates. That’s an approach ubiquitous to early FRPGs. That might then be elaborated with guidelines for speed, exhaustion, weather, supply, and encumbrance. The level depends on how crunchy the game is. In fact these kinds of systems have been a hallmark of trad approaches. 

So it was interesting to see a more modern, story-driven game take a swing at travel and work to integrate it into play. The One Ring (with the original subtitle of Adventures over the Edge of the Wild) aims for this. TOR has some trappings of the trad game, like Encumbrance but handled simply. It has the need for a map and the calculation of possible distance and travel time. Resolution here goes through setting route, judging distance, multiplying by terrain, and comparing that to speed. That generally determines the number of fatigue tests being made. 

Those tests are made by the traveling companions, with each having a different role. We have the Guide (making decisions), Scout (setting up camp), Huntsman (finding food), Look-out Man (keeping watch). Journeys have a set procedure beyond fatigue tests with players carrying out their role and comparing it to a hazard target, with different events possible.   

Forbidden Lands takes a page from TOR, echoing this procedure. It falls somewhere between Mutant: Year Zero’s zone exploration and TOR’s role system. In practice it feels a little more mechanical and wearing than a Tolkien-esque journey. Forbidden Land’s travel can be brutal– that’s a feature of the base game system. The land is supposed to be harsh, newly opened after a post-apocalyptic calamity. In that sense it works, but in play it can seem absolutely punishing for players who don’t expect it. I definitely want to explore travel in play– with something more than just an Undertake a Perilous Journey move. In theory I love the idea of a deep journey procedure, but neither TOR or FL exactly hit what I want. The former feels like too much calculation and too many rolls potentially and the latter like a procedure for beating down the player’s resources. I love the idea of Journey mechanics, but I want something which falls in the middle of those– offers interesting play, adds to the story, and feels like the sweeping grandeur of crossing great distances.

[respectthepetty]

Y Journey is a trip

Watching Y Journey: Stay Like a Local is such a trip (pun intended) because it's government-sponsored. [The Tourism Authority IS the Ministry of Tourism and Sports]

It reminds me of Step by Step on so many layers that I wonder if Director Tee and Dee Hup were actually approached with this idea because it is wild that the government is using BL couples to promote tourism in a country that is LGBT-friendly, yet denies its queer citizens several legal rights.

However, I think the creative team behind it, Half Toast lead by Oil Savit who has directed and written other queer shorts, took the time to check the required boxes (tourism, sustainability, food security, and environmental protections), while also presenting social commentary on this predicament.

We aren't going to get kisses from these couples since we are barely getting shoulder touches, yet four of them are established pairs known for higher heat, and all the actors have been involved in higher heat scenes.

It's almost like Half Toast wanted to present the acceptable-to-society version of these pairs (aka watered down) while still presenting couples who are very well known for their unacceptable-to-society behavior within their shows. Like a wink-wink, nod-nod to each other since their bosses probably have no idea.

Because these shorts aren't couples who just happen to be queer enjoying all the country has to offer. These are queer couples who aren't out to their parents, yet instinctively give their boyfriend food without thinking about what that looks like to their parents.

These are queer couples who are worried how their parents will respond to knowing the friend they brought home isn't just a friend.

So although we are getting this palatable version of queer couples, I'm going to give the production company kudos for not going full Hallmark with this task.

I love a Hallmark movie as much as the next basic bitch, but Hallmark tends to put every person regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual identity, etc. into the same story, so none of the characters actually feel Black, Hispanic, queer, etc. It just happens to be a Black person in the movie, yet they show none of the Black experience. Yet Half Toast seems to be presenting some of the queer experience in these shorts.

It's nothing revolutionary, but the company really took the government's check (and a big corporation's), cashed it before the government could take it back, and said "let's be kind to the gays."

While heavily encouraging people to "create a sustainable future together."

So up next, openly gay actor Fluke Natouch will introduce a man to something he has never tried before.

Don't forget this is government-sponsored, so the savory treat will be food.

Not him.

But hopefully the creative team will continue to sprinkle a little queer experience on top of this government-sponsored tourism ad.

Because they already cashed that check!

This is the gay agenda.

[farm-witches-fic-recs]

Friends of Farm Witches Fic Recs

We made it! The coven is pleased to wrap up another year of friends and fics here on the farm. We're grateful to share this fandom with all of you and we look forward to continuing our work in the new year.

May you find peace and quiet in which to read, tasty foods for snacking, and abundant joy in everything you do.

Be well, farm witch friends, and enjoy this last community rec list of 2023. Leave the authors some love and kind words to cap off this year's creative journeys.

============

All the Fellas That I Haven’t Kissed (@apothecarypants, @five678patty )“David is Sexy Santa. Patrick is Completely Smitten. That’s all you really need to know.”

Apricity (@demora00) “Hygge vibes, coffee shop, colleagues to lovers, relationship of convenience, hanukkah, solstice, along with a spa visit and an aurora borealis - what's not to like?”

Going Down (@concannonfodder) “This one is long and gets angsty around chapter 15 but the first 14 are a sweet and sexy way to spend New Years. Gallery Owner!David and Tourist!Patrick get stuck in a midtown NYC elevator on New Years Eve. After a few trapped hours of lively banter, vulnerable exchanges, and delicious sexual tension, they decide to spend the next few days together. Excellent writing.”

Hopes As High As  A Kite (hudders-and-hiddles/ @wild-aloof-rebel) “It’s so beautifully written with all the Hallmark Christmas movie vibes. It’s one of my go-to holiday reads. Curl up with a hot cuppa and let this make you feel like you’re being wrapped up in the coziest blanket.”

How Do We Get Back (@unfolded73) “An AU testing the "in-every-universe" principle: will David and Patrick find each other, even when stuck in a particularly angst-ridden timeline? (Spoiler: they *will*!) Funny and fast-moving, with excellent cameos by Twyla and Gwen and some shocking (but temporary) bad news, this story is a great way to spend a cozy afternoon.”

How the reindeer loved him (yourbuttervoicedbeau/@kiwiana-writes) “A masterclass in 'this concept shouldn't work as well as it does' tbh - the entire premise is RIDICULOUS but it’s stuffed full of feelings and knocks it out of the park.”

Making Spirits Bright (roseapothecary/@indestructibleheart)  “It’s “A Christmas Carol” for Patrick! You know Patrick’s story, and you can guess what the ghosts might show him. But I promise this fic gives us scenes that are fresh and new. There’s a lot of humor mixed in with the painful realizations, and, overall, it’s a strong, well-written, and satisfying fic.”

Now you see me (@grapehyasynth) “Stevie sets David and Patrick up on a blind date and though there isn't a lot of plot, the banter is SO sharp and the characterization is SO perfect that the piece just shimmers. This is a deep-cut one-shot first-meeting/first-date AU from 2019.”

[aspiringwriter1111]

Hallmark PSA

I know since it's coming on the holiday season, I'm going to start seeing a lot of Hallmark slander.

But here's a little known fact.

Hallmark is actually really really good.

WAIT WAIT DON'T LEAVE-

Let me explain!

The movies people usually associate Hallmark with are the "old" ones (2020 and back). I bet after seeing how cliche and unhealthy they were, you didn't see a reason to watch them again after that, am I right??

But you knew them well enough to know they weren't worth your time and sanity.

Girl in a high stress job goes to small town, learns the meaning of Christmas, and then cheats on her also stressed out boyfriend back in the city with a hot cocoa making stubbly kind of rude lumberjack man then quits her job and moves to Vermont or something.

Yeah, they don't do those anymore.

At all.

I'm serious.

A part of it is that there was a purge. A year or two ago, there was a new Christmas movie company in town. All the actors that didn't like the forward direction Hallmark wanted to go in, left and joined GAC.

(Great American Family, or as I like to call it GACK. The movies are exclusively awful old Hallmark style, but Republican, badly decorated, very white, and also much worse.)

GAC took all the problems away from Hallmark, and made movies out of them. Hallmark, now cleansed, is pumping out cinematic greats that I WILL be rewatching every Christmas.

The whole of Hallmark was Recast, save for the best of the best fan favorites (Like Lacey Chaubert-)

They have plus sized actors now and people of color, cast as main characters on a regular basis.

Half of the movies aren't even romance centric anymore, instead focused on life, and moving forward, but when they are, they're really well done, and actually healthy.

If you know me (which you don't), then you'll know I hate unhealthy relationships. Especially when they're treated like they're okay. I will pick apart ANYTHING over toxicity in a relationship, wherever that might come from.

I used to hate Hallmark movies, because they were predictable, unrealistic, flawed, and toxic.

But now the characters talk with each other, and they don't get in the others space without permission. If there's an accident and it does happen, it's not used as a plot device to move the relationship along. It's not treated in a "OMG hot guy is literally right in my face!!! I've only known him two minutes and I hate him, I'm in love!!"

It's more of an, "OMG I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to do that at all, im so sorry, I'm so sorry- *Immediately backs away*"

I can't even begin to explain how much better they are now.

To further prove my point, here are some gifs of Three Wise Men and a Baby, one of my favorite Christmas movies ever:

Just listen to this one.

It's about three brothers, one of which is a firefighter (this is important). A baby gets dropped off at the fire station, with a note. The firefighters name is on it, asking him to look after the baby until Christmas.

This is not his baby.

This IS a joke throughout the entire film.

They have no idea who dropped him off.

So they end up taking care of him for a week, and seriously bonding with him. The make his first Christmas ornament with clay, they do a holiday photo dressed to the nines.

They talk about how hard it is to actually take care of a baby, and how hard it must have been for their mom doing it alone.

Talking about how their own dad left, and finally processing that trauma together.

Their mom confesses that if she didn't have support, she may have done what the babies mother did. How she must be going through such a rough patch, and building empathy for her.

All three of the brothers go on complete cathartic emotional journeys about it, and all the other issues in their life.

I can't do it justice.

It's called Three Wise Men and A Baby. I'm begging you please go watch it, you will NOT regret it.

I CRIED SO MANY TIMES YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

I'm tearing up now just thinking about it oh my gOD-

The ending just sent it home for me, so I won't spoil anything.

Its amazing. I can't explain the whole thing, I seriously beg you please go watch it.

And, if you're more into comedy, I present to you Haul out The Holly:

A Christmas comedy starring your very own Gretchen Weiners!! Abso-fucking-lutley HILARIOUS.

It's about a woman, just broken up with her boyfriend, and coaxed into going home for the holidays. Here's where it gets interesting.

Her parents are the head of the Christmas neighborhood watch, something that has plagued her since childhood. Her childhood friend has now taken over the position, as her parent ditch her for retirement on a beach someplace, and she's left stuck, having to decorate against her will.

She wants a nap. The neighbors want her to carve ice sculptures. And her nutcracker apparently isn't up to code.

Includes: Girlboss and male wife power duo (madly in love), insane chainsaw man with way too much time on his hands, the ML an anxious wreck, and many, many, MANY MORE.

Another recent movie was built around a woman who is an astronaut (She's mixed) who was about to finally go to space (The goal shes been working on her entire life) She got into a car accident and her eyesight was impaired. She's currently grieving the loss of her dream (like, actually grieving, she took three months off-).

Her company asks her if she wants to do an exhibit in the planetarium for Christmas, that she doesn't have to, but she can if she wants to take her minds off of things. She says yes, and ends up working with the planetarium director on an exhibit about the sun and it's connection to Christmas through how people used to celebrate with the sun (I don't remember exactly, but it was explained thoroughly, and i think pagan???)

She and him don't constantly argue, or be angry at each other. They cooperate. They show genuine interest in each other. It's actually adorable, and it's also not just about them.

She meets his daughter, who is a wheelchair user. She asks why the Female lead isn't in space if she's an astronaut, and the FL tell her it's because of her eyes. The daughter tells her it's okay, because she'll never be able to go to space either, even if she wants to, but she can still enjoy it from Earth.

I'm not even doing it justice.

By the end of the movie, the FLs eye problem doesn't heal. Nothing is miraculously solved. But the ML and the FL are now dating (After the best, slow paced, healthy, communicative, collaborative bonding freaking ever-) ALL OF THE CHARACTERS HAVE FULL BLOWN EMOTIONAL JOURNEYS THAT ACTUALLY MATTER.

SHE GRIEVES.

HER BROTHER FINALLY FIGURES OUT ITS OKAY FOR HIM TO DO WHAT HE LOVES, AND THAT HE'S NOT A FAILURE FOR IT.

THE ML LET'S GO OF THINKING HES A BAD PARENT.

AND MORE.

There are soft bits, nothing is cliche, nothing is icky or gross.

It's healthy, it's cute, it's emotionally driven, I'm actually learning about things I didn't know before, and amazing.

And all the new ones are either like this or better than this. I could name over ten, but I can't even explain how good they are.

Some of the are still a little dark ages, but it's only every one out of six or seven.

Hallmark movies from 2022 and onwards are 5 star television, and you can't convince me otherwise.

[prolix-yuy]

PedroStories HallowReads Celebration 

A Spooky Salute to Writers! 

There are literally hundreds of fics out here that have stolen my heart, but here are a few of my favorites. Forgive me if I wax poetic about some of these, but I think you'll love them just as much!

For other stories I've loved, check out my fic rec tag!

🎃 Here are my recommendations for @pedrostories’ HallowReads Celebration 🎃

My favourite fanfics I read this year

Point A to Point B by @amywritesthings Description: Escorting a former Empire prisoner of war to a Rebel Alliance safe zone? It should be a piece of cake. Absolutely no problems whatsoever. My thoughts: My space sister even when she's off in another galaxy far far away (aka another fandom), Point A to Point B was one of the first Din series I read that was in progress at the time I started. Nothing made me quite as excited as giving my blow-by-blow reactions to Amy's spectacular story, and I'll come back to a few of those...ahem...firsts time and time again. The writing style is crisp and gorgeously detailed, and I love her religious Din so very much.

Lie to Me by @iamskyereads Description: A recent transfer to the DEA from the FBI makes you a target of hazing from your co-workers. Choosing to forget your bad first day at a bar puts you on a path towards meeting a new acquaintance. An expert on deception and psychological profiling, you are adept at catching liars. What happens when an increasingly stressful work environment begins to test the limits of your personal life and the one man at the center of it all, Javier Peña? Afterall, everybody lies about something. But how many are you keeping from yourself? An AU of Season 3 of Narcos My thoughts: Skye writes some of my favorite "it's canon now" stories, and Lie to Me is a shining example of what her creative mind can do with Season 3 plus an incredible reader character. I have never read a story where the reader was so different than me but also someone I'd so badly like to be that I could really imagine it to be true. Plus her Javi is so thoroughly rendered in perfect introspection I half expect scenes from the show to have Carino in the background. A must read!

Surrender by @ezrasbirdie Description: Weeks after the events in Kansas City, Joel and Ellie stumble across a woman lost in the Nebraska wilderness. With her knack for foraging and unending patience for Ellie's ceaseless questions, Daisy quickly becomes an asset on their journey. But between Joel's capriciousness towards her presence and Ellie's fierce loyalty to her guardian, she can't help but question her place with her new companions--especially when she catches Joel's gaze lingering more and more when he thinks she isn't looking. My thoughts: Listen, I know there's a lot of Joel out there right now, but this Joel? You need to read this Joel. A glorious character study of an intensely broken man finding a new start through the eyes of a complex and powerfully realized OC. There are whole chapters that have me in a chokehold, and the pain is so stunningly offset by the beauty they find in each other. One of my favorite things Birdie has written (and there are lots to choose from!)

Celestial Navigation by @write-and-buried Description: Dumped and drowning in a summer storm, you duck inside a coffee shop to hide from your broken heart. Covered in plants and hand drawn images over exposed brick, it seems like a slice of heaven. The owner brings you a blueberry muffin and a promise; you’ll fall in love with him before the new year. My thoughts: How can I not mention the story I salivated over every week waiting for a new chapter? This Dieter has all of the hallmarks of canon Dieter with so much more depth and a unique twist to his character that works perfectly in this sort-of AU. Every description is lush and ripe, sensuality used to lull you into horny heaven. Gorgeously realized and a wonderful contained read again and again.

Intimidation Tactics by @whataperfectwasteoftime Description: You and your partner, Marcus Pike, are investigating a case that brings you far too close to something much more dangerous than your average art thief.   My thoughts: Penny came out of the gate SWINGING with this series. Marcus and Dave's chemistry is electric, and the three of them together weave attraction and devotion into something much more grounded and confident than I expected. Their relationship blossoms so fully I can't imagine it any other way.

Wild Abandon by @starlightmornings Description: Post-WWII, set in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina. Ezra Joe Collins came home from the war looking to hide away in the wilderness. His simple, quiet life is turned upside down when you show up in his garden, hungry and desperate, with nowhere else to go. What starts out as a grudging friendship quickly transforms into something that will knit your very souls together — but as you soon discover, such a bond comes at great cost. My thoughts: Kaylie's masterful execution of this thematic story kept me on the edge of my seat for weeks! The setting and voice is some of the most unique writing I've come across, and the threads she weaves together to make the full picture come to light had me gasping. Plus Ezra is the perfect balance of hedonistic and mysterious, just the way I like him.

Beloved fanfics with my comfort characters

First Class to Tatooine by @mandosmistress Description: You’re a flight attendant who’s so entranced by your melancholy, beskar-clad passenger that you decide to cheer him up with some first class treatment. And although the Mandalorian seems to think he can forget his woes between your legs if he tries hard enough, despair and violence seem to follow him no matter how hard he tries to shake them. My thoughts: Mari's fic was some of the first I read in the fandom and if I'm ever missing Din I come back to this story. Her young Din fics are transcendent, but I'm so in love with this post-TBOBF story and the angst she pulls out of it.

Kinktober 2022 by @chaoticgeminate Description: You’re a fanfiction writer turned novelist, which was great since it was the path you wanted your writing to take you down in life. What you never thought would happen was meeting the Javier Gutierrez, who you actively write smutty fanfiction about from his film with Nic Cage, and you especially didn’t expect him to have a crush on you. Fast forward several months of dating, with a good chunk of your relationship being distance due to his constant traveling and having to go home to Mallorca, when he surprises you with a prompt list and a vacation planned around exploring it. You haven’t even worked up the nerve to tell him about what you write and post to Tumblr about him as a character yet. My thoughts: Who doesn't want to live in a world where some happy accidents bring you together with Javi Gutierrez in a sexy funfest full of feelings, healthy relationship conversations, and mind-blowing smut? Plus Kelly made me almost cry several times featuring my beloved Murch in her stories and now our RCs are best friends forever.

Palomino by @fuckyeahdindjarin Description: Unable to get a refund for a week-long horse-riding pack trip you’d booked with your ex, you decide to go solo. As it turns out, a rebound with a cowboy named Jack while traversing the wild landscapes of Wyoming might just be what you need. My thoughts: Palomino is a triumph of a fic by the incredibly talented Cee that is a must-read if you like anything horsey. Even if you don't, come for the soft-spoken cowboy we were robbed of in TGC and their adventures together. Cee took so many unique turns that had me intrigued with my heart clenching at each new chapter, and the ending is truly something beautiful.

Fanfics I wish more people knew about

Calculated Risks by @pedrito-friskito Description: I took a calculated risk, but fuck, am I bad at math aka - this started as friends with benefits but you’re ridiculously good in bed and not as much of an asshole as originally thought and now I’m kind of in love with you? a saga. My thoughts: Kay's Dieter is a chaotic mess in the best way, and she pairs him with someone just as messy and perfect for him. They traverse some highs and lows together, but the love is so carefully threaded through you have to root for them.

Vibes by @mandoblowmybackout Description: Sex toys, Din Djarin, neurodivergent reader and so many feelings? What's not to love? My thoughts: The number of times I've closed my eyes and thought of scenes from this series is too large to count. As sexy as the concept sounds, the trust and care that Ash takes to give these two the love they deserve is even more exhilarating.

Kitten by @boliv-jenta Description: The reader meets Nico at a swingers party. Will he just scratch an itch or carve a place in her life? My thoughts: Liv has so many fics I adore, but the exploration of Nico as a character and how his and Kitten's experimentation grows is just masterful. Plus she gives us one of my favorite OC side characters and so many twists and turns I was gobbling up each addition the moment they came out!

Fanfics with my favourite trope/AU

Love Triangles by @littlemisspascal Description: Soulmates with Identifying Marks AU, including a ridiculous amount of pining, misunderstandings, and Dieter being Dieter. My thoughts: Rae's writing never fails to make me feel the widest spectrum of emotions. This AU is so fun and thoughtfully fleshed out, with a wild but kind Dieter, hilarious nicknames, and a soulmate twist that had me a gooey mess by the end.

Stranger At My Gate by @leslie-lyman Description: A time-traveling Pero. A modern woman trying her best. A kitchen full of possibility. A helping of Midwestern kindness. A dash of magic. And a whole lot of Christmas spirit. My thoughts: I read this around the holidays and it was the perfect treat for my time-travel-Pero-loving heart! The world Leslie creates is so warm and homey I want to live in it always. Plus big gruff Pero melting down for Tessa makes me want to cry, it's so wonderful.

A Galaxy Far Far Away by @grogusmum Description: This fic is as much a story about Din, Grogu, and Reader as it is a little love letter to an old home of mine, during an idyllic time in my life. As with most authors, there are characters who are a reflection of them, and that is certainly so for reader characters in fics. And it is so here, but only a little, but the cottage, the town, the festivities are directly from life. I hope they come across kind of like characters in their own right. My thoughts: Every time I get a new piece of this story it melts me again. The love in this is quiet and gentle, and Grogu is a sweet little menace we adore. The slow growth of love is truly the star, and I'll forever want to live in this town with a big teddy bear of a man and his mischievous son.

The Language of Flowers by @lowlights Description: You’re the only daughter of a wealthy Victorian family living in the countryside. The head gardener, Din, catches your eye and your heart. A series of clandestine rendezvous put both of your futures in jeopardy. One question persists: could you ever truly be together? (A Din Djarin AU) My thoughts: Gardener!Din owns my heart, my nethers, a large piece of my brain. The Victorian vibes are off the CHARTS, and while there's the looming doom of their secret relationship always present, I still fall back in love every time.

Fanfics I NEED to read

A Girl Walks Into a Bookshop by @oonajaeadira Description: Set a couple of years after the events of the film. Ezra owns a bookshop. You walk in. My thoughts: This has been on my TBR forever and I feel like I need to set aside a day to just binge it. I know it'll make me soft. I know it'll give me all the feels. I just need to prepare myself for it, preferably with a warm drink and a cozy corner to melt in.

Meant to Be by @radiowallet Description: Oberyn Martell has spent his life as a second-born prince enjoying all the pleasures that Dorne has to offer, staving off any notion of an arranged marriage under the guise of searching for his soulmate. But after defeating The Mountain and avenging his sister's untimely death, Oberyn returns home to his brother still without a true heir. And so Doran states his plan: To name Oberyn Lord of Sunspear and have him take a wife, soulmates and lovers be damned. So what happens when the fates of Westeros send him an independent and troublesome woman from the north that just happens to fit the title of both bride and soulmate? Which feelings does one bow to? To bend or to break? And what does it truly mean to be meant? My thoughts: Cat's unique take on a Soulmate AU with an unlikely Pedro boy has been tantalizing me for months! And to hear her say that it's one of the formative stories that's developed her unique voice just makes me want to read it more!

Clean Sheet by @haylzcyon Description: Former FBI agent turned tortured crime-author Marcus Pike has never gotten the hang of complacency. The weight of monotonous days stuck writing a loveless character into predictable plotlines is heavy - but he finds ways to shoulder it. Newly divorced and the owner of a print shop where Marcus orders copies of his working drafts, a slip-up in order packaging sparks a fast blooming friendship between you, and reveals a side to Marcus that you've only dreamt of. My thoughts: AUTHOR MARCUS AUTHOR MARCUS I know this is going to get me yearning and I cannot wait for him to meet-cute his way into my heart.

Like a Moth to the Flame by @the-scandalorian Description: monster!Din, sort of a dark Beauty and the Beast AU My thoughts: Oh god. Oh godddddd. Monster!Din. I can't. I need a minute. I'm gonna be such a problem after this story and I need to be ready for that. I'm looking so disrespectfully at this story Simone.

Thank you to each and every writer who's on this list (plus dozens more) and whose words are forever imprinted in my brain, for better or worse. Happy Spooky Season!

[silviakundera]

Best drama love stories? Two characters who will move heaven and earth for each other? Who convince you true love exists by just how much they adore one another?

So I've been thinking about this anon. An upon consideration, the questions you asked are very different things to me!

The drama love stories which truly convince me that maybe true love does exist by just how much they adore one another, by how much I can understand & feel the mutual bond between them... are not necessarily the characters in dramas who I see "moving heaven & earth" for each other.

Why? I guess because in my mind, it's 1 thing to go to extremes when your back is up against the wall and everything is falling apart - because when adrenaline is flowing and heroics are called for, yes it's very dramatic and exciting to jump off that cliff together. Humans get very hyped up and extra like that. But that doesn't necessarily make me think of true love. To me, true love isn't a dramatic act of sacrifice that a stressed & despairing person is driven to, through circumstances beyond their control. It's not the story of the worst months of a person's life and the person they are desperately clinging to as external factors torment them. True love is a connection, tactic understanding, a partnership. It's living for someone and every moment feeling better & brighter because that person experiences it with you; experiencing beautiful moments with someone when living your lives as a pair. A person who makes ordinary life into something extraordinary.

Don't get me wrong: I love dramatics and big hero moments and badass rescues and also my red flag romantic lead!. All of that are some of my fav dramas. But they don't often give me that feeling of wow, I believe in love again, fuck I'm too single right now. and then I'm back on the dating apps.

So I'm going zero in here on some couples who gave me that rush. Ships who have a lot of messy, harsh conflict, or are too surreal for me to personally relate to (like being in love with a god) won't be included.

This is very very subjective and personal! Only what gave that feeling to ME, silvia.

You Are My Glory - devastating relationship propaganda. Watching this drama for the first time really did make me sign up for a dating app again lmao. The last 10 episodes are established relationship comfort couple goodness.

Bad Buddy - Pat and Pran are my gold standard for friends & lovers. By the end of the drama I truly believed nothing could come between them and they would never want to live without each other.

Fake It Til You Make It - a squee-inducing relationship between adult professionals that feels real and obtainable. This is the relationship I want for me & the drama makes it seem not completely out of reach.

A Tale of Thousand Stars - Hallmark channel romance done right. A classic romance novel on screen that just hits all the tropes, with great pining. I know in this one they don't truly hook up until the end, but then we got the 2 episode My Skyy mini-series of established relationship epilogue. also: HE GAVE UP INDOOR BATHROOMS AND THE INTERNET. If that's not true love, what is?

The Princess Royal/The Grand Princess - I'm cheating here because it's truly the novel version of this couple that are epic and unforgettable for me. The drama is good but couldn't capture the rich depth of the otp, in their second time around. But the novel version omgggggg inspiring, someone please marry and divorce and remarry me NOW.

A Journey to Love - a drama that earned it in every way; we see them falling in love and we see their devotion. The way they loved each other exactly how they NEEDED to be loved. I felt that.

Parallel World aka West out of Yu Men - it's easy to make a split second decision to die for someone, it's harder to live for someone and even harder to give up well laid plans & forgive the unforgivable. When all the secrets come out and it doesn't end them... that's when I knew this couple was epic to me. idk but I just felt the connection between them and felt the drama earned my belief that nothing could turn them against each other.

Hidden Love: like sliding into a warm bath. 💕💕💕💕💕 I absolutely believed in their love, in every way.

Story of Minglan: They took a very long time to get there but oh when they do! Beautiful mutual support and a loving relationship of respect and partnership that would have been rare in that time period/setting.

The Spirealm - Reality is whenever you are. Enough said. (Yes, this is a strange one. But I stand by my choice, this censored danmei adaption was ultimately very romantic to me. 😭)

The Rebel Princess/Monarch Industry - There's a certain warmth and passion between them that stands out for me in the sea of other costume dramas.

Just misses the cut:

The Untamed - almost on the list, but disqualified by Lan Wangji leaving the love of his life to go be a politician at the end wtf ??????? sorry not sorry but that it stains the epicness of the romance for me

[dontsh0vethesun]

a storm and a kiss

part three of home for christmas

natasha romanoff x reader

The hallmark movie inspired Christmas story that nobody asked for.

Natasha Romanoff fell out of love with Christmas, but perhaps a certain someone could help her find the festive magic once again.

Coming home to her small hometown from her life in New York City, the children’s author is reunited with the people of her past; some are happier to see her than others.

But, will rekindled relationships inspire the Christmas story she’s struggling to write? Or will she go home empty handed?

awkward silences, fluff, wanda meddling again, still cringey, snowed in trope kinda, mentions of alcohol

wc: 2.1k | part one | part two | part four

“Wow, this town still goes all out for Christmas, huh?” Natasha spoke, attempting to cut through the uncomfortable quiet between you as you walked.

The layer of snow along the ground and the greyish-white clouds above you only added to the winter feel of the town. The lights strung along each and every building were on most of the time, biting through the dark of winter in Ohio and various festive decorations stood on every street corner. The oversized tree in the town square was your favourite, the one in the heart of the town, surrounded by the goings on of the month-long fair that was always busy.

She used to love it here, how the community always came together at this time of year. Everybody was always included and she felt as much a part of it as anybody. It makes you both wonder back on those years before, when the magic of the season lost its touch on the woman when the warmth that sparked within her turned to something cool and dismissive.

“You’d know that if you came back here, rather than having your family schlep to New York instead.”

“I guess so,” she sighed.

“They always talk about you - how you don’t decorate your apartment, how you don’t make Yelena that hot chocolate you always used to bring us all.”

“I get too busy for all this Christmas stuff,” she shrugged, internalising the frown her lips desperately wished to fall into. “I don’t have time for the ‘Christmas cheer’ anymore, I guess.”

“You used to,” you returned, sparing a look at the side of the face. She peered downwards at her feet, her eyebrows knitted into the thoughtful expression they always had done when you knew she was in quiet contemplation. “Natasha Romanoff was never ‘too busy’ for it all.”

“People change,” she mumbled. You saw the clenching of her jaw poke through her skin and you knew there was more to it. Still, whether you sympathised with the redhead’s clearly deep-rooted dislike for this time of year, her dismissal of the conversation left you with a stinging in your belly that even the chill of the air couldn’t compete with. An explanation is all you want, she owes you that much at least.

“Yeah,” you sighed. “They do.”

Even when you reached her car you were still hoping somebody would take over for you. It’s a certainty that Melina and Wanda - and perhaps various other interfering ‘allies’ - had something to do with this. After all, sending two people to a remote cabin over thirty minutes away is a perfectly reasonable ask. Tasking two people, who have a physically observable discontent between them, with fetching unnecessary Christmas tree ornaments is not strange at all.

You’d tried to get out of it, of course, but with Melina’s irresistible way of charming you into doing just about anything, you found yourself caving into her demands rather quickly. ‘It’ll only be a couple of hours’ you repeated in your head over and over.

–

The car journey couldn’t have been much more awkward if you’d tried. It was clear that both of you had words on the tip of your tongues that you fought away by drowning them out with the radio’s music. You wanted to ask her ‘why?’. You wanted to give her a piece of your mind yet, also, tell her how much you think about her. Positive and negative. You wanted to be honest to somebody about the way she plagues your mind at night with ponderings both wholesome and unsavoury, hot and cold, loving and loathsome.

She wanted to say sorry. She wanted to tell you her love for you was still there - it always had been. But times change, things change, and things that once brought her joy had melted away and taken a part of her with them. She wanted to explain why.

So, it was merely two people with words aching to be set free, sitting in a silence that felt less dangerous. You climbed out of the car as soon as the hum of the engine slowed.

The house brought back memories of all those times before; the wooden roof clothed in snow, a frosted cobweb weaved against the window in the centre of the old front door. The crack in the porch decking, just to the left of the doorstep, was still there and you both smiled to yourselves at the sight. You remember the time that Kate tried to keep up with Carol, carrying the same amount of logs into the house for the fire. She smirked with hubris and you all laughed when she stumbled, dropping it all with a snap beneath their weight. You all decided to use the gaudy gnome Alexei had bought, much to Melina’s distaste, to hide it for as long as possible. It worked until it didn’t, and you all still feign oblivious to the damage.

“Alright, I’ll look down here, you look upstairs?” Natasha asked once you’d walked in.

“Sounds like a plan.”

You made your way upstairs, eyeing the dent in the papered wall where Wanda had playfully pushed you one tipsy evening. She’d been teasing you about the way you’d apparently been ogling Natasha and she only retaliated to the shove you’d given her, chuckling when you almost fell down the staircase.

There were still photos hung in frames along the walls when you reached the top, memories of your group of friends cemented into shots. Smiling faces framed with wood, the glass shielding them gathering dust. You wiped one clean with your sleeve just to be met with Natasha’s smile, her arm draped over your shoulder whilst you grinned all the same. The rosy hue to the apples of her cheeks only served as a reminder of what made her so easy to love.

The drawers you searched through turned up nothing, and the cupboards were just as unsuccessful. Apart from the trips down memory lane, you found nothing, and you only sighed as you descended the stairs once more. It was becoming more clear why you were sent on this excursion - the decorations didn’t exist. You suppose you should have figured it out sooner.

“Anything?”

“No,” you shook your head. “We should probably get on the road - it’s already getting dark.”

“The snow’s pretty bad, I think we’re gonna have to wait it out.”

“Okay, I’m just gonna call Wanda to let her know I’ll be late back.”

You stepped out into the kitchen and grumbled at the obvious smile in her mischievously toned voice when she picked up.

“I hate you,” you groaned.

“How’s it going? You found the ornaments?”

“Wanda,” you sighed. “We all know they don’t exist. You and Melina must despise me, I’m sure of it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she returned, clearly holding back a laugh at your annoyance.

“This isn’t gonna change anything, Wands. My life isn’t some fairytale you can turn into some true love thing.”

“Nobody said anything about ‘true love’,” she answered. “Apart from you.”

“Oh my God-”

“No, you’ve said it now. It’s been spoken into the universe. I can still see it between you, y’know? It’s a bit much if you ask me,” she teased.

“Well, I didn’t ask you,” you mumbled.

“You’re not denying anything, though,” Wanda spoke, her tone softening just as it does when she wants you to know she’s being earnest. “You know I’ve always been on your side with all of this - I am always on your side. So you have to trust me when I tell you that you need to trust your heart with this.”

“I loved her, Wanda. I did. But, things change. It’s a lot to make sense of.”

“Then take your time - I’ll be here. But I can see it in both of you. Sure, things change - people change - but maybe, sometimes, that’s the best thing that can happen.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Yes. You will,” she returned. “And we’ll talk about it later. One more thing, there’s a storm coming tonight so I think you might have to stay there,” Wanda hurried out, clearly hoping to hang up before you could say anything else.

“Oh my God, Wanda.”

“Sorry,” she laughed - clearly not meaning it - before ending the call as quickly as possible.

Natasha was sitting on the sofa when you walked back out, holding up a bottle of vodka she’d found with a smile and gesturing to the space beside her for you to take a seat.

“My mom texted me,” she spoke. “We’re gonna have to wait the storm out here tonight. We should be able to head out first thing in the morning.”

“I’m gonna need a drink then.”

–

You didn’t speak much at first but the uncomfortable silences between you had become such a regular thing that it hardly felt unusual. Natasha had found two shot glasses and filled them rather liberally as the evening drew in, you winced less and less at the sting of liquor in your throat. It seemed the alcohol wore away that tall wall of glass between the pair of you because, as time passed, scatters of conversation turned into recalls of childhood memories. And then you felt comfortable asking her what your mind had begged you to.

“Why’d you leave, Nat?”

“I had to,” she shrugged, taking a sip that emptied her glass. “I got into college, moved to New York.”

“You know what I mean, Natalia,” you breathed. You were leaning close enough to her to see the twitch at the corner of her lips at the use of the name only you are allowed to use. “Why’d you leave me?”

“I didn’t mean for it to all happen like that,” she sighed. “Things changed. The way I wanted things to go didn’t seem possible anymore so I left it all behind.”

“You left me behind, too.”

“I didn’t mean to, sweetheart,” she spoke the pet name for the first time in years and it tasted just as sweet on her tongue, you felt it wash over you like the stroke of a tender hand. “Anyway, I’m here now and we’re having a good night. Reminds me of old times.”

“We had fun, didn’t we?” you smiled, letting your shoulder rest against hers as though the space between you had never been there.

“We did.” Her grin was contagious, it always has been. She let her hand rest on your leg as though it was the most normal thing in the world and you accepted it because you agreed. “Do you remember that time, just like tonight, when we just sat and talked for hours? The others were all asleep-”

“We could hear Yelena’s snoring from down here,” you laughed and Natasha chuckled at the memory, you felt the laugh move her body from where you leaned against her.

“And it was like we were the only people who existed.”

Neither of you mentioned the way you desperately wanted to kiss the other that night - nor the other nights you’d felt the same. But, right now, as though making up for missed opportunities, she cupped her hand around your cheek and swiped a musing thumb against your bottom lip. The skin left your lips tingling and wanting more, you felt a shiver run through your spine as her face drew nearer.

The gap between you vanished with a slow touch of her lips to yours, the bitter taste of vodka lingering on the tongue that pushed past your teeth. It was all you’d wanted since you were young and, at first, it left you dizzied with nothing else on your mind apart from the woman who held your waist.

But, as the saying goes, good things must come to an end. When the haze of Natasha Romanoff’s mouth dancing with yours had settled, you thought back to the unresolved issue you held with her. You still don’t know why she left you, you still don’t know why all of your calls wouldn’t even ring out on her mobile. You don’t know if this is just a drunken thing she’d forget about by morning.

You pulled away as though her kiss had left you burnt and her flushed cheeks stared back at you.

“I can’t do this right now,” you stumbled out. “I still don’t understand what’s happened between us but I can’t just move past it all so quickly.”

“I’m-”

“No, it’s fine,” you sighed, pushing a hand through your hair in an attempt to unravel your mind just the slightest inch. “I’m gonna sleep upstairs. I’ll see you in the morning.”

If you’d found the drive to the cabin uncomfortable, the car ride back home was incomparable.

[hallmark-movie-fanatics]

Hallmark Ratings - 2023

So here's a look at the ratings for most of Hallmark's 2023 programing. No info on what the numbers were for stuff aired on Hallmark Movies Now of course, and I don't have the numbers for what the Love Club movies did when aired on the Hallmark Channel.

1 - A Merry Scottish Christmas (CTC) - 3.33 2 - A Biltmore Christmas (CTC) - 3.12 3 -Christmas Island (CTC) - 2.62 4 - The Wedding Veil Expectations (NYNM) - 2.48  5- Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up (CTC) - 2.38 6 - The Wedding Veil Journey (NYNM) - 2.29  7 - The Wedding Veil Inspiration (NYNM) - 2.28 8 - Holiday Hotline (CTC) - 2.27 9 - 3 Bed, 2 Bath, 1 Ghost (FIL) - 2.25 10 - A Heidelberg Holiday (CTC) - 2.18 11 - Holiday Road (CTC) - 2.13 12 - Sealed With a List (CTC) - 2.10 13 - Sweeter Than Chocolate (Loveuary) - 2.06  14 - Catch Me If You Claus (CTC) - 2.05 15 - My Norwegian Holiday (CTC) - 2.03 15 - Christmas on Cherry Lane (CTC) - 2.03 16 - A Not So Royal Christmas (CTC) - 2.02 17 - Love in Glacier National: A National Park Romance (NYNM) - 1.98  17 - The Wedding Cottage (SIL) - 1.98  18 - Navigating Christmas (CTC) - 1.97 19 - Christmas in Notting Hill (CTC) - 1.92 19 - The Secret Gift of Giving (CTC) - 1.92 20 - Everything Christmas (CTC) - 1.90 21 - A Paris Proposal (Loveuary) - 1.88  22 - Welcome to Valentine (Loveuary) - 1.85  22 - Magic in Mistletoe (CTC) - 1.85 23 - Never Been Chris'd (CTC) - 1.80 24 - Where Are You, Christmas? (CTC) - 1.78 25 - Flipping for Christmas (CTC) - 1.77 26 - Joyeux Noel (CTC) - 1.74 26 - Our Christmas Mural (CTC) - 1.74 27 - A Picture of Her (SIL) - 1.73 28 - Mystic Christmas (CTC) - 1.72 29 - The Santa Summit (CTC) - 1.70 30 - The Dog Lover’s Guide to Dating (NYNM) - 1.68  31 - Checkin' It Twice (CTC) - 1.68 32 - Made for Each Other (Loveuary) - 1.62  33 - A Pinch of Portugal (SIL) - 1.59  34 - Fourth Down and Love (FIL) - 1.58 35 - Love’s Greek to Me (JW) - 1.57  35 - Christmas With a Kiss (CTC) (Mahogany) - 1.57 36 - A Royal Christmas Crush (CIJ) - 1.56 37 - Hearts in the Game - 1.54  37 - Round and Round (CTC) - 1.54 38 - Field Day (FIL) - 1.53 38 - Under the Christmas Sky (CTC) - 1.53 39 - Love in Zion National: A National Park Romance - 1.51  40 - A Safari Romance (SN) - 1.50  41 - Love in the Great Smoky Mountains: A National Park Romance  (FIL) - 1.49  41 - Notes of Autumn (FIL) - 1.49 41 - Letters to Santa (CTC) - 1.49 42 - Game of Love - 1.47  43 - Aloha Heart (SN) - 1.46  44 - Making Waves (SN) - 1.45  45 - Retreat to You (FIL) - 1.43 46 - The Professional Bridesmaid (SIL) - 1.40  46 - The Wedding Contract (JW) - 1.40  47 - Take Me Back for Christmas (CIJ) - 1.39 48 - A Winning Team - 1.38  48 - Love in the Maldives (SIL) - 1.38  48 - When Love Springs (SIL) - 1.38  49 - Never Too Late to Celebrate (SN) - 1.37  50 - Wedding Season (JW) - 1.34  51 - Christmas by Design (CTC) - 1.31 52 - Friends & Family Christmas (CTC) - 1.30 53 - Make Me a Match (JW) - 1.23  53 - A Very Venice Romance (FIL) - 1.23 54 - Dream Moms - 1.18  55 - Napa Ever After (SN) (Mahogany) - 1.09

1 - Miracle in Bethlehem, PA (MOC) (DaySpring) - 1.91 2 - Heaven Down Here (MOC) - 1.38 3 - To All a Good Night (MOC) - 1.35 4 - Mystery on Mistletoe Lane (MOC) - 1.30 5 - A Season for Family (MOC) - 1.19 6 - Curious Caterer: Grilling Season - 1.18  7 - Time for Her to Come Home for Christmas (MOC) - 1.13 8 - My Christmas Guide (MOC) - 1.09 9 - A World Record Christmas (MOC) - 1.06 10 - Family History Mysteries: Buried Past - 1.01  10 - Ms. Christmas Comes to Town (MOC) - 1.01 11 - A Zest for Death: A Hannah Swensen Mystery - 0.99 12 - The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango - 0.87 13 - Curious Caterer: Fatal Vows - 0.86 14 - The Cases of Mystery Lane - 0.82  15 - Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery - 0.79  15 - Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Murder in G Major - 0.79 16 - Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Something New - 0.74  17 - Unexpected Grace - 0.69  18 - The Blessing Bracelet (DaySpring) - 0.66  19 - The More Love Grows - 0.63 20 - Mystery Island - 0.59 21 - Come Fly With Me - 0.58 22 - The Jane Mysteries: Inheritance Lost - 0.57  23 - Guiding Emily - 0.56 24 - Big Sky River: The Bridal Path - 0.52  25 - A Lifelong Love - 0.43 26 - Spring Breakthrough (Mahogany) - 0.38  27 - A Nashville Legacy (Mahogany) - 0.31

--- Season One --- Episode 1 - Mothers and Daughters - 1.44  Episode 2 - Scar Tissue - 1.54  Episode 3 - I Don’t Want to Moss a Thing - 1.39  Episode 4 - What’s My Age Again? - 1.56  Episode 5 - Don’t Dream It’s Over - 1.31  Episode 6 - Building a Mystery - 1.52  Episode 7 - The End of the World as We Know It - 1.57  Episode 8 - Lovefool - 1.43   Episode 9 - The Day the Music Died - 1.61  Episode 10 - Not All Who Wander Are Lost - 1.74

--- Season One --- Episode 1 - Legend of the Fall - 1.31  Episode 2 - Rodeo and Juliet - 1.04  Episode 3 - The McMurray Curse - 0.94  Episode 4 - Estella - 1.16  Episode 5 - When It Rains… - 0.94   Episode 6 - Your Cheatin’ Heart - 1.19  Episode 7 - Ride of Die - 0.90  Episode 8 - Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace - 1.04    Episode 9 - Truths Laid Bare - 0.84  Episode 10 - Andalusians - 1.02

--- Season Ten --- Episode 1 - Carpe Diem - 1.93  Episode 2 - Hope Springs Eternal - 1.72   Episode 3 - Oh, Baby - 1.69  Episode 4 - Great Expectations - 1.88   Episode 5 - Life is But a Dream - 1.95 Episode 6 - The Heart of the Problem - 1.81   Episode 7 - Best Laid Plans - 1.76  Episode 8 - What Is and What Never Should Be - 1.84 Episode 9 - Deep Water - 1.97  Episode 10 - All Dressed Up - 1.96  Episode 11 - Long Time Running - 1.98  Episode 12 - Starry Nights - 2.29

[theunstuffedpepper]

Finally finding time for a little update here. It’s been 2.5 months since we lost our little man and we’re hanging in there. B and I are leaning on each other and focusing on taking care of Pep, trying not to let the grief swallow us whole. We’re trying to focus on what’s in the future for our family which has been helpful and healthy for us both. B made our sweet boy’s urn, which is beautiful, and was a sort of therapy for him.

As summer gave way to fall, we enjoyed the last warm days of the season outside, taking trips to the park, zoo, and local farms as much as possible. We’ve had family and friends visiting and making plans with us consistently; it’s been great having that support and keeping involved socially. We went to our first trunk-or-treat and my little Incredible was too adorable in his costume. He had so much fun and big surprise: turns out, he loves candy.

One big decision we were faced with after losing Pip was whether we were going to move forward with buying the new house and moving. The day we lost him, our offer was accepted. It was hard to even think about and in the moment it was a decision I truly didn’t even care about, but we ultimately decided that we would keep pushing forward. To back out of the deal and stay living in our current house wouldn’t have done anyone any good. I felt an overwhelming need to get out of that house and out of that town. Being surrounded by things that bring heartbreaking memories to mind a thousand times a day leaves very little room for healing.

I’m happy to say we closed on our new home a little over a week ago and just moved in a few days ago. We’re currently still half in the old house, half in the new house, but it’s nice being able to take our time with moving everything over. Once we’re fully out of the old house, it’ll be time to clean it up, take photos, and put it on the market.

Moving to the new town in PA has been so incredibly positive for us all. For me, very healing. In a lot of ways, the area seems opposite to where we’ve been living in NY. I didn’t know how much I needed that until I experienced it. Our new town is slower paced, the people are so friendly, and the new house, despite only being 15 minutes outside of town, feels so quiet and secluded, in the middle of nature. We have dozens of deer on our property every day. Pep loves to watch them from his bedroom window and chase them in the yard, squealing happily and exclaiming, “deeeer!!” The center of town is very historic and charming, a very Hallmark movie kind of quaint town. Love that journey for me.

Pep, now 22 months old, is absolutely blossoming. His language and communication has exploded over the past month or two. He has so, so many words and can now tell us what he wants, what he doesn’t want, and it’s so heart warming and wonderful. He truly is the apple of my eye and he keeps both me and B going every single day.

This weekend, B and I reluctantly left Pep in the care of my parents at our new home and we made the 9-hour drive to Michigan for a close friend’s wedding. I was so nervous to leave Pep for a whole weekend — longer than we’ve ever been away before — but he’s doing awesome with my parents. After the most stressful few months of my life, I needed this rest and break more than I realized. It’s been fantastic reconnecting with B, spending time with our cherished college friends, sleeping in, eating meals as two adults rather than mom and dad, and recharging.

I’ve been half heartedly keeping up with you all and need to check in on so many of you for the latest updates. I’m missing this community, so I’ll try to check in more often. I hope you’re all well!

[schizoidvision]

Schizoid Serial Dating: 7 Contributing Factors

The schizoid approach to relationships can be as complex as it is paradoxical, partly due to their difficulty emotional intimacy, linked to their self-protective defenses. Schizoid individuals, characterized by their detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of emotional expression, approach relationships in unique ways that ‘sometimes’ manifests in patterns of serial dating or engaging in non-committal encounters. Here are 7 contributing factors that can affect the schizoid when engaging in serial dating:

1. The Schizoid Shield: Emotional Intimacy as a Threat

At the heart of schizoid dynamics lies a profound discomfort with emotional intimacy. This aversion is not necessarily born out of disdain for connection but rather out of a deep-seated need to maintain psychological safety. Either consciously or subconsciously, the schizoid individual regards emotional closeness as a potential precursor to engulfment—a loss of self that is to be avoided at all costs.

2. The Paradox of Connection: Serial Dating as a Schizoid Strategy

It's here that the paradox emerges: Why would someone who fears intimacy engage in serial dating, a venture seemingly devoted to seeking connection? The answer is layered. Serial dating provides the schizoid individual with a controlled exposure to intimacy. It's a way to dip one's toes into the waters of connection without the risk of diving deep. Each short-lived encounter is a measured dose of togetherness—a way to experience the semblance of intimacy without its full impact.

3. The Role of Fantasy: A Schizoid Sanctuary

For many schizoid individuals, the allure of fantasy often supersedes the desire for real-world relationships. Fantasy serves as a sanctuary where the schizoid person can simulate intimacy without vulnerability. Serial dating, in this context, may be seen as an attempt to reconcile the schizoid person's inner world of fantasy with their outer reality. Each brief encounter allows for a temporary bridge between the two, albeit one that can be quickly withdrawn should the threat of real intimacy loom too large.

4. The Dance of Detachment: The Push-Pull of Schizoid Relationships

The push-pull dynamic is a hallmark of the schizoid approach to relationships. On the surface, this behavior can seem confounding—why draw someone close only to push them away? The answer is rooted in the schizoid's battle between the yearning for human connection and the imperative of emotional self-preservation. Each new relationship presents a fresh opportunity to test these boundaries, with the eventual retreat serving as a reaffirmation of the schizoid's need for distance.

5. Understanding the Unspoken: Reading Between the Lines of Schizoid Communication

Communication with a schizoid individual may require reading between the lines—understanding that what is unsaid is just as significant as what is spoken. In the context of serial dating, a schizoid individual's actions—their tendency to keep things light, to avoid deep discussions, to back away when things get serious—are communications in themselves. They are nonverbal signals of their boundaries and their limits when it comes to emotional intimacy.

6. The Schizoid Spectrum: A Wide Array of Intimacy Approaches

Schizoid personality exists on a spectrum, and the approach to relationships can vary widely among individuals. Some may choose a life of solitude, while others navigate the complexities of marriage and family life. Understanding this spectrum is crucial when considering the schizoid approach to serial dating. For some, it's a manifestation of their place on this spectrum—a way to engage with the world that aligns with their comfort level of emotional exposure.

7. Potential for Change: The Schizoid's Journey to Emotional Intimacy

Despite the challenges, schizoid individuals can and do make strides towards greater emotional intimacy. It's a journey that requires self-awareness, a desire to change, and often professional assistance. For those who embark on this path, patterns of serial dating may evolve, becoming less about maintaining distance and more about learning to explore their potential for closeness.

Summary...

Some schizoid individuals choose to engage in non-commital relationship affairs, or serial dating. The patterns of serial dating and short-lived encounters within the schizoid dynamic are not random acts of relational indecision, but are strategic maneuvers designed to manage the complex balance between the need for human connection and the imperative of self-preservation. By exploring these patterns through the lens of schizoid psychology, we gain a deeper understanding of the intricate and often misunderstood world of schizoid relationships.

Video From My YouTube Channel: 5 Ways Schizoids Avoid Intimate Relationships

[rhvpsodos-fr]

For clan lore asks!

Do the members of the scavenging party alternate who takes lead dependent on who's 'area of expertise' they're currently working in, locale wise, or does everything tend to fall on Jithor to keep things running?

I need to know about Kyuu, Rosie and Cherian I am enamored with them they're all so so so cute.

Oooh thank you so much for the ask hehe, it’s awesome to have others mention and ask about my dergs!

You’re right on both points about the scavenging party- when they travel as a group, the dragon who knows the area best will lead. They each have a single region they know better than any, having spent a lot of time there for whatever reason!

But it’s up to Jithor to decide where the next expedition will be, how many dragons are needed for each journey and for how long, et cetera! He travelled solo for a long time and knows a lot about the regions of Sornieth, but also relies on Spectre the scout to determine current areas of interest.

Also!! I’m so glad to be asked about those three cuties too! Kyuu and Rosie were some of my very first dragons :D i’m going to put this part under the cut since i got a bit carried away ^^;

Kyuu and Rosie’s story is, essentially, Sornieth’s take on a cheesy rom-com. Rivals to lovers, real hallmark movie type thing.

They started off as two young artisans each running their own business, in a rather fashion-forward town in the sunbeam ruins. Kyuu a tailor, Rosie an upholsterer. Their initial rivalry stemmed from them both having a very similar taste in fabrics, and the existence of only one local merchant selling textiles. They were constantly trying to outdo each other with works using the same fabric, or trying to beat one another to the purchase of some fancy new silk. Because of course in this town, after buying a fancy new coat, you’d simply never consider buying a cushion set in the same fabric! And vice versa.

That familiar back-and-forth was disrupted when the town’s denizens decided it was all the rage to have their garments and homewares *imported* from the farthest reaches of Sornieth. The further and more ‘exotic’, the better. Kyuu and Rosie each tried to stick it out, but when their one merchant stopped stocking textiles altogether, they were both simply out of business. They had to look for somewhere else to set up shop and, for better or worse, decided to take up the search together.

It was along the road that they began to grow close, realising how much they had in common and how aligned their dreams were. The search led them to the edge of the foxfire bramble- not somewhere they really wanted to end up. But it was there they met my progens, who invited them both to rest in Refuge; a small, hidden village with rather dreary scenery, full of rather underdressed dragons. They stayed to recover and eventually decided to stay for good- these terribly unfashionable dragons NEEDED their help! Thanks the clan’s head of trade they were able to establish a connection with a new textile vendor, and this time, work together to unify the look of this clan instead of compete with one another.

Cherian came years later, after the pair had become mates and had both made a name for themselves in Refuge. He’s their only “canon” offspring really- as well as the most spoiled little tyke in the whole clan xD

He’s still very young, but he’s quite the little creative himself, and likes to gift his friends with his art projects from time to time!

Again thanks so much for the ask!! I’ve not had a chance in quite a while to ramble about my dragon babs :’)